CHERRY ICEBOX CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Grease a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Place graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until they become fine crumbs. Place crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Drain maraschino cherries, reserving 1 tablespoon of the juice. Slice each cherry in half and add to the graham cracker crumbs along with the reserved cherry juice.
• Add the pecans, currants, dates, apricots, dried cherries, and crystalized ginger. Stir well to coat all of the ingredients in graham cracker crumbs. Add the rum extract and sweetened condensed milk. Use a sturdy spoon to stir mixture until everything is well combined. Transfer to prepared loaf pan and press the top down firmly to evenly pack mixture into the pan. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove pan from refrigerator, and use a warm wet rag to rub the outside of the pan. Invert the loaf out of the pan onto a serving platter.

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, coffee liqueur, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Mix on low speed to combine and then slowly raise the speed, until it forms firm peaks.
• To assemble the cake, arrange chocolate chip cookies flat in an 8-inch springform pan, covering the bottom as much as possible. (I break some cookies to fill in the spaces.) Spread a fifth of the mocha whipped cream evenly over the cookies. Place another layer of cookies on top, lying flat and touching, followed by another fifth of the cream. Continue layering cookies and cream until there are 5 layers of each, ending with a layer of cream. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• Run a small sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the top with the chocolate, cut in wedges, and serve cold.